21 Excursionists Drowned by Upsetting of a Towbont The new President then read a statement affirming "that he would devote himself to the task of unit. ing the German people.
Memphis, May 9.
A mysterious disaster, believed to have resulted in the drowning of 25 members of the Middle and South-
Deputies, rising from their coa jeave three cheers for the German Republic.
Marshal von Hindenburg left accompanied by Ministers. He took fern States Avvociations. of Eng-inoers, occurred to-day in an isolate fed section of the Mississippi that can only be reached by water, when the salute of a regiment of lowing, it is supposed, to the an Engineering Corps towboat rank ler Reichswehr, while the crowd chanted "Deutschland veber Alles. bursting.
Later, a manifesto to the German peop!
the Marshal says that, true to his oath he will devote all his iergies to guarding the Constitu. tion and the laws. "Let us strive," he declares, "through honest and peaceful work to gain the recognition of other nations, to which we are entitled, and to free the German name from the unjust stain still lying on it to-day."
On taking over the Chief Command, in accordance with the Constitution, the Marshal issued a manifesto to the Army and Navy. reeting them with pride. ays that they led the German people along the only road on which reconstruction was possible, namely, hard discipline and loyalty., They were built up on the old principle of duty and sacrifice. Their activ. ity was intended to be of service to the people and the State, and they were true to the tasks impo: ied by the Constitution—Reuter.
The official figures give the number of persona drowned as 21, Fifty persons were on board the towboat. They were returning from an excursion of the Engineering Convention, The boat suddenly started inexplicable to rock and then capsized jand sank. No explosion occurred, "There was no pa The passengers on the capsized boat included women and children, the families of members of the Engineering Convention, The disaster occurred in one of ithe worst stretches of the river. the current was very swift. boat had been listing for some time negro in a passing motorboat picked up the survivors. Otherwise jthe death-roll would have been hheavier—Reuter's American Service.
British Congratulations
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.